It Takes Only a Second
by mapplepie
Summary: Ideally, Kakashi would prefer more time to think and plan… but he would make do with one second since that was all the time he got.
1. Kakashi

_A/N: So, basically a while ago I was rereading some ff, specifically Yumi Take's "Change," and the fact that Kakashi had no time to make plans there made me wonder what other time I could drop Kakashi in and make him scramble to fix the past. Then this happened. (_ _Yup it's time-travelling Kakashi. What else do you expect from me?)_

 _Actually, I've been sitting on posting this fic for a pretty long while now since for the past few months, and still currently, I've been exclusively in the D:BH fandom heh._

* * *

 **KAKASHI**

Consciousness spread while Kakashi was in motion, sharp and unexpected, like all things in his life.

Despite the sudden influx of information, Kakashi allowed his momentum to continuously pull him forward, following through with his body's prior task. His feet strained against the muddy ground in rapid strides, scenery around him reduced to nothing but an undistinguishable blur.

His head throbbed with every step.

Mind as muddled as it still was, there was no telling where his current location was. He didn't know why he was suddenly there, or if he was even in the middle of danger.

Any other time, Kakashi would've given himself a moment to gather his bearings and scrounge up proper answers.

Any other time except now, that was, because there were more pressing matters at present. In particular, the fact that in Kakashi's right hand held a blue-white sphere of swirling chakra, and in front of him stood Rin, too heroic and determined in front of his intended path for her own good, only seconds away from certain death.

A horrified panic burst across the back of Kakashi's mind at this impossible sight, because he abruptly realised he'd seen this before, he'd done this before, and there hadn't been a happy ending for anyone at the end of it all.

Over the deafening chirping of his _chidori_ , Kakashi's heartbeat thudded heavily in his chest. But regardless of his confused and agitated state, Kakashi didn't pull to a stop. He didn't because it hadn't worked the first time, and insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results.

He ruthlessly surged onwards instead.

The _chidori_ was more draining than Kakashi remembered it to be, but he still managed to pull aside a sliver of chakra as he continued his warpath forward, left eye focused on Rin. Like every repeated nightmare of this involuntary murder, Kakashi could see Rin's fear glistening in her teary eyes. Except, it turned out, nightmare was not reality, and never had been, because beneath that initial emotion, this time Kakashi could also see the acceptance, the love, the guilt–

 _"Kamui."_

–and then he furiously charged through her disappearing form to avenge the could've-beens.

Two Kiri-nin fell victim to Kakashi's _justu_ before a guttural scream tore through the clearing, a belated response, but not from the Kiri. In a swirl of wild chakra, columns of trees burst forth, uprooting the terrain and coiling like poison ivy.

Then there was a body before Kakashi. There was long untamed hair, a hastily donned cloak, and white curled tendrils of an artificial being that had Kakashi's muscles tensed and ready to rip off Obito should it make any wrong moves.

Obito's hands balled around Kakashi's collar and pulled him up into the air with considerable strength. "Where's Rin!" he howled into his face. "What did you do to her?" he demanded, justifiably panicked at the sudden disappearance of his long-time crush.

Kakashi didn't allow himself to falter at the abrupt appearance of his wayward teammate.

The Kiri-nin were already starting to regroup behind them, shaking off their startled forms.

Decisively, Kakashi kicked himself backwards from Obito's hold to get a clear view of the other man. The maneuver was successful, mostly because Obito didn't expect it, considering Kakashi had let himself dangle limply up until this point.

Obito snarled at the loss.

Immediately, Obito took a step forward in pursuit of his target.

Kakashi was ready for him. It was at that moment that Kakashi's left eye pulsed back into its Magenkyou form. The sight of the foreign design was enough to halt Obito in surprise, and the momentary pause was all it took for Kakashi to spirit him away into a swirling void of his doing.

"Don't come back until you confess," Kakashi called earnestly after him, because he was too old to deal with awkward crushes and unaddressed tension between Obito and Rin.

Once Obito was gone, he turned back to the Kiri-nin.

The Kiri's formation was restored, promptly as one would expect from professional shinobi. When they moved to attack, it was vindictive and brutal, but honestly nothing Kakashi hadn't experienced before.

Kakashi mentally assessed his chakra reserves.

The _chidori_ was less than advisable, but Kakashi's entry in the Bingo Books was never because of his signature assassination _jutsu_ alone. His thirty-so years as a shinobi accumulated a thousand more tricks to back up his reputation.

His counter was swift and unforgiving, like someone who had spent far too long in Anbu as something less than human.

With nimble steps, Kakashi worked quickly to dispose of all those who had done him and his make-shift family wrong. Kunai and ninja wire left motionless bodies in their wake. Kakashi knew better than to leave loose ends, because though he may be merciful, that was not today, knowing the consequences these men's actions had brought to Rin once-upon-a-time.

He slaughtered, because there was no other word for it, these heartless executions.

" _H-how?"_ a Kiri-nin murmured in his dying breath at the sight of a child half their age cutting through their ranks.

Kakashi spared him a glance, bitter smile on his lips. "Because I've regretted too much already," he said passingly – he'd regretted too much to waste the closure he'd finally found in the end to suffer through it once more. Not when this time, Rin and Obito were _right_ _there_ in his grasp, no longer mere passing apparitions.

And then it was over.

The carnage painted the ground red, until Kakashi was the sole silver beacon in that sea of death. At last, Kakashi allowed himself to let out a harsh laugh, adrenaline run its course. He pulled a bloody hand through his hair in a release of tension.

Now that he was no longer in the face of danger, he let the disorientation, the bewilderment, the astonishment flood through his mind, and allowed himself to at last dwell on where (when) he was. The answer was obvious because Rin's appearance before his _chidori_ was quite telling, so it was actually more of a question of _how_ and _why_ and most importantly, what to do next.

It wasn't that Kakashi didn't doubt the sights before him – because who in their right mind could immediately accept the idea of time-travel? Except the long period during his battle with the Kiri-nin slowly ebbed away at his initial skepticism. Obito's loaned sharingan was back in his skull, and its feel was too intimate, and its control was too fluid, for the eye to be anything but authentic; Kakashi had over twenty years to familiarise with the Obito's gift.

Realising that, Kakashi knew this was reality, because no _genjutsu_ could hide from that powerful eye.

Rin didn't have his _chidori_ lodged in her chest, and Obito was showing his face decades ahead of time – in one second Kakashi already managed to change the course of the future and rendered much of his future knowledge meaningless.

But that was fine, Kakashi supposed; what was life without a little uncertainty?

Pulling down his headband to its distinctive slant, Kakashi deliberated the quickest way to summon Minato-sensei and have him fix Rin's unstable seal. He was definitely not losing her this time, well-meaning sacrifice or not.

Nor was he losing Obito to the insane plans of a relic of the past.


	2. Rin

**RIN**

Rin expected pain jolting through her chest, expected horror etched on Kakashi's face, expected guilt from her brusque decision, but ultimately expected Kakashi and Konoha – her family and home – safe from the evil she would unwittingly unleash upon them.

Somehow she was in an endless void instead.

She contemplated the idea of purgatory, because she trained with Kakashi enough to understand the unstoppable momentum that was his _chidori_ , so she knew she had already been a dead woman standing the moment she'd flung herself in front of its deadly course. Perhaps her death had been too quick for her to register anything at all?

Then Obito showed up. He looked older, with a haunted look in his eyes, so out of place from the memory Rin held dear of him, that she couldn't help but observe him with suspicion. Though what point was there to tricking a dead woman?

Obito turned. When he spotted her, tension seemed to melt off his form. Rage and coldness was quickly replaced with fret and worry and the familiar unwavering focus that Obito always used to set on her.

"Rin! Are you okay? The hell did Kakashi do?" Obito raced to her, patting her down for injuries, chakra curling around her like a warm, protective presence. It was indisputable that he was that familiar boy she grew up with. He was so solid and warm that tears built in her eyes. "Rin? Did he hurt you?"

"Obito," she breathed, savouring the nostalgic moment, because it honestly had been too long. And then she remembered Obito's question. "No! No, no, no. Kakashi would never," she cried hastily. Her voiced hitched, recalling her own actions, "Rather, _I_ hurt him."

It pained Rin to admit, because though it had been done in order to keep Kakashi from harm, there was no denying that she still unintentionally made Kakashi suffer in the end, one way or another.

"Where are we?" Rin pushed onwards, stomach curling on itself.

Obito rubbed a hand across his sole eye. "I don't know. Kakashi sent us here. I think it was with the sharingan. Stupid genius, it's _my_ eye," he muttered, sounding broodingly grumpy.

Rin stared, incredulous. "Wait, I'm not dead?" she rushed out. But more importantly, " _You're_ not dead?"

"It's a long story," Obito said weakly, though didn't elaborate.

It didn't matter because Rin flung herself at her teammate and held him in her tight embrace regardless. " _Obito,_ you're alive. _You're alive!_ Don't leave us again," she allowed herself to sob – only for a second, though, because if she was not dead, then that meant Kakashi was out there _alone_ amidst the army of Kiri men who wanted his head, when it didn't have to be so.

When she pushed herself onto her feet, it was steadier than ever. "How do we get back," she said with strength that pulled Obito straight into action.

"Kakashi said-" Obito began promptly, paused, then stopped entirely. His face abruptly flushed red. "Actually, forget what he said. I'll figure a way out. If Kakashi can do it, I can too."

The competitive drive that Rin used to witness whenever her boys were pitted against each other was present once more. It was reassuring in ways she never thought she missed. Rin gave a nod, full of trust and belief, and it was definitely not unfounded when Obito managed a miracle several long minutes later.

In a wave of chakra, he pulled them both back to that dreadful land Kakashi had tried to hide them from.

The smell hit them first, thick and coppery. Then it was the sight of Kakashi, appearance coated in a splash of red. Rin's stomach fluttered, but it was Obito who reacted before she could.

"Are you stupid, Bakakashi? Who sends their backup away to fight alone! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Some backup you were," Kakashi said derisively, adjusting the collar of his shirt so pointedly that there certainly had to have been a story there. Rin could guess, knowing these two.

She was right, of course.

Obito stuttered, but yelled on regardless. It was an anger full of exasperation and worry that Rin could relate with. "How was I supposed to know? You could have told me what you did. What am I supposed to think when Rin suddenly disappears? People don't just disappear! Jeeze, are you trying to make me look like an idiot. What ar-"

"So, nothing new," Kakashi interrupted.

"What is that supposed to mean! I'll have you know-" Obito started again, but the rant faltered halfway through. There was something so appreciative and relieved in Kakashi's posture at Obito's presence that it sparked an astonishing thought across his mind. "Are you– Is that– Is that your way of saying you _missed_ me?" Obito screeched, dumbfounded.

Rin smiled into her hands when Kakashi didn't answer. She was well aware how hurt he'd been since Obito had saved him at the seeming cost of his life. But it appeared her boys would never be ones to openly acknowledge their feelings – it was a good thing they'd grown enough to spot the unspoken.

She was just as glad as Kakashi that Obito was still that boisterous, cheerful boy they lost under the crumbled cave, and that 'death' hadn't jaded his lovable personality.

In fact, the sight of Obito seemed to have settled Kakashi somehow. There was a calmness in Kakashi that Rin hadn't seen before – like he was finally content with the world, and the moody, grumpy teenager he had been days ago was nothing but a forgotten phase.

It had been enough for Rin to momentarily wonder if he was an imposter, in that split second she and Obito returned to the proper world. But then he'd turned towards them and the concern in his gaze could not be faked.

Rin never realised the loss of Obito had that much of an affect on her teammate.

Obito, ignorant to her insight, only scrubbed a hand across his face. "Why can't you speak clearly?" he lamented woefully. "Don't tell me I've been misunderstanding you since childhood."

He was given an idle shrug.

"Look underneath the underneath," Kakashi said in lieu of an answer. It sounded so much like a 'yes' when Rin knew it was otherwise; these boys didn't know how to do anything but spur each other on with verbal insults for the longest time.

Obito stared suspiciously, but shrugged it out of his mind when Rin shook her head at them in silent exasperation.

Now that there was no immediate danger, Rin finally had the chance to convince Kakashi to leave her once more. He didn't understand the threat she now posed to them and Konoha. Between the safety of herself or her boys, she always knew what she would choose, no hesitation.

"Kakashi, I'm so sorry for everything, but before you insist, I have to tell you I can't come back to Konoha-"

"I sent word to Minato-sensei," he cut her off. "He will come as soon as he finishes his mission to fix your seal."

Rin froze at the casual mention of the ordeal she had been put through; she herself only just recalled the ritual the Kiri had performed on her, so how did Kakashi know? But her teammate only tilted his head to the deceased littering the floor, and abruptly Rin realised how resourceful he'd been. Who better to tell him but the ones who had planned the ploy?

It was ruthless, this implication of torture, but Rin knew they were all shinobi before everything else. ('Everything else' except for _family.)_

"Okay," she agreed with implicit trust, and then compliantly plopped herself onto the ground beside Kakashi. She leaned into Obito, because it was still too overwhelming without a constant reminder that Obito was truly there with them once more. "Okay," she said again, more meaningless this time, more to fill the silence than anything. "Let's wait."

In the back of her mind, Rin wondered why Kakashi didn't appear as shocked as she expected at the unexpected sight of Obito, but perhaps the thought had been pushed aside with her own problem still sitting unsolved. Rin knew it had yet to truly sink in for her either.

"So, since you're back," Kakashi said suddenly into the still comfort, turning to Obito, "did you conf-"

"No!" Obito screeched, found a rock to chuck at him, and then they spoke of it no more.

Rin cocked her head in confusion.

* * *

 _a/n: Oh wow, this fic had better feedback than I thought it would do. Thank you :)_

 _For those wondering why Kakashi still has his Mangekyou, triggering its evolution is a psychological event, and even though Kakashi's in the past, it's not like he forgot his future memories or experiences. (Obito's is either because he saw Rin disappear and assumed the worst, or because Kakashi's triggered his own – take your pick)_


	3. Minato

**MINATO**

When Minato arrived in the clearing to meet his students, Kakashi was the first to notice him. Beside him, Rin glanced over a second later, catching the attention of Obito–

 _Obito?_

He stared at the unexpected member.

Minato pulled his limbs to controlled strides. His pace slowed considerably, but it was still mindfully natural – just slow enough to give him time to gather his wits.

It was common knowledge that Obito was dead, having sacrificed himself for Kakashi's sake. … apparently, it appeared, that was not actually the case.

There was an upward stretch on Obito's lips when he spotted the blond closing in – one of relief and uncertainty and untold longing. "Surprise?" Obito said, turning towards him.

Minato let out a held breath. "I would appreciate it if one of you explained the situation?"

"Umm, I'm not actually dead? I was saved," Obito tried unhelpfully, before jerking a thumb over at the fourth man standing behind the three teammates.

Minato hadn't overlooked him, this white being whose chakra pulsed in a fashion unlike any human Minato met before. Minato wasn't even entirely certain the being _was_ human, considering the lack of facial features. But none of his students seemed wary at its presence, so Minato allowed himself to seem accepting as well. – _Seem,_ of course, was very different from _actual_ acceptance, because Minato's senses had been trained on him throughout the entire conversation, and he had weapons palmed and chakra swirling just under his skin, should it make any unexpected movements.

Kakashi lifted a hand to rub his left eye where his sharingan laid. "It's Obito," he confirmed, quick to understand what Minato truly wanted to know.

Minato nodded, guard lowering – but not completely; never completely. Not that he didn't trust his precious students, but lies and deceit did not have to be deliberate to still be considered as such. A shinobi could never be too careful.

He turned to the white being at last. "You were the one to save Obito?" he probed cautiously.

He didn't quite expect the hollow, cheerful voice that echoed back towards him. "Ah ha ha, yup! Well, sort of. Just following orders," he said and gave a thumbs up.

"Orders?"

"Guru guru and the others are some sort of artificial humans made from a statue by Madara," Obito offered naively. "And I know that sound unbelievable since he's supposed to be dead and all, but he's not. Just old, wrinkly, and sleeps a lot."

There was only one deceased Madara who Obito would know of. "Why exactly did Uchiha Madara give these orders?" Minato said carefully, eyeing them both.

The white being was silent.

"Uhh, I think he wanted help with his goal," Obito replied quickly, dismissively. "Something about a world where nothing bad happens? Honestly, I didn't pay much attention; I just wanted to go home," he glossed over.

He turned towards the artificial being as if looking for confirmation.

But the one who spoke up next was not Guru guru, but Kakashi, in a voice prickling with hardness. "It's the _Infinite Tsukuyomi_ , isn't it?" he said, glancing up briefly towards the sky, leaving Minato to wonder what Kakashi knew that he hadn't shared with the rest of them.

How had he immediately gathered that this 'perfect world' was code for _genjutsu,_ and known which exact _jutsu_ had been intended to be executed?

The white being was equally impressed.

"Ehhh? How do you know about the plan? Obito never said Bakakashis can read minds!" It made exaggerated movements that were likely the norm, considering the way Obito ignored it all. "Madara is going to save everyone. It'll be a good dream," it continued eagerly, nodding, "where no one will die and be sad."

"It'll be a dream with no free will," Kakashi refuted, because _genjutsu_ were anything but. However, his words meant nothing – perhaps the artificial human was just not human enough to understand that living peacefully was not truly living without the ability to make conscious choices.

It dismissed Kakashi's words and when no one else spoke up to defend Madara's goal, it visibly sulked and turned to leave. It sunk into the ground, seamless and instantaneous.

Kakashi spun sharply towards it.

" _Kamui,"_ he growled and then staggered alarmingly limp as the being swirled through a void in the air.

Minato caught the teen before his knees struck the ground. The feel of Kakashi's chakra reserves fluttered too low for Minato's liking.

Kakashi shoved off him to sway on unsteady feet. "I know my limits," he cut in, before Minato could reprimand him, though knowing his limits and knowing to act safely within those limits were two separate things. Minato frowned wordlessly at him. "Madara needs to be stopped. I sent him away before he could convey our disapproval of his plans to Madara," Kakashi continued doggedly, as a distraction to his own matter, no doubt.

Beside them, Obito was silent – had been since Madara's plan was being laid out by Kakashi.

"I- It can't be that bad-" Obito argued, frantic eyes gazing from Kakashi's tense form to Rin and Minato's displeasure as the explanation had progressed. "When the old man explained it, it didn't sound _that_ bad." He turned towards Rin. "I would never let him do it," Obito insisted desperately.

"Of course not, Obito," Rin pacified. "We know you."

"You know now to make an informed decision," Minato contributed.

Kakashi was oddly silent.

"W-wait! He can still talk to Madara," Obito said anxiously over their comforting words. He paced weakly, fingers clenched over the white stump of his right arm, gaze wrenched away from the three. He spoke to the ground. "Guru guru told me he can speak telepathically to other artificial humans, and there're others by Madara's side-"

Minato stretched his senses, in case the man decided he wanted Obito back. Surely Madara hadn't spent all that time healing Obito just to let him walk away – not that Minato understood what was so special about his student in the first place.

Trees rustled, the wind howled in their ears.

"It's fine," Kakashi cut in. Minato turned sharply over. Kakashi moved idly under his intense gaze, tapping his left eye. "He's in the _kamui_ ; he can't communicate with anything outside," he explained.

Minato listened in wonderment.

Kakashi was remarkably confident of his knowledge pertaining to the white being and that pocket dimension of his and Obito's shared sharingan eye. There was sureness in his tone as he described how the _kamui_ was utterly impenetrable to everyone except Obito and himself. Kakashi was much too collected for these facts to be mere guess-work or inferences. Except it shouldn't've been anything but, considering Minato _knew_ this _kamui_ was only a recent development.

"Are you certain?" Minato pressed.

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"I have a lot of experience," Kakashi said – and was that cheekiness in this tone?

The answers were elusive and meaningless, as far as Minato was concerned. If anything, he got more from Kakashi's rare teasing attitude, though what _that_ meant, Minato couldn't be sure of yet. He systematically filed away the oddness, opting to deal with one problem at a time.

"I wouldn't call one day a lot," Minato commented, keeping on track, certain it couldn't have been longer than that.

Kakashi blinked slowly at him, before his lip quirked upward. "No," he agreed. Then, "Perhaps I should mention I've had it for-" he glanced up into the sky thoughtfully, "barely two hours?"

Minato wanted to heave a loud, lengthy sigh and bury his head into his hands. Instead, he allowed his gaze to burn onto Kakashi's unflinching form, watching him for faults. Yet, all Kakashi did was smile gently back at him.

It seemed he had yet another puzzle piece to file away to be further studied - except how crucial were these quirks, and would Minato regret not addressing them right away? Once was insubstantial, twice was happenstance - but on the other hand, as ninjas, nothing should be taken for granted.

Minato turned to Rin, bidding for time.

There was a couple seconds of silence as Minato worked on her unstable seal, inwardly cursing the Kiri's attempt at ruining his precious student, before he turned back to Kakashi and took the final plunge: "Where are you getting your information from?" because young prodigy knew too much for his suspicion to settle.

"Mmm, did I forget to mention I'm from the future?" Kakashi replied lightly.

There were twin looks of disbelief on Rin and Obito's faces, with a raised eyebrow and eye roll, respectively.

Minato, however, held back from reacting.

The wrongness of the response was the first thing that struck the man. Of all the years Kakashi spent under his tutelage, the teen was never one to tell any jokes. Nor with Kakashi's sense of professionalism would he attempt one during such a serious enquiry.

The blond's mind flipped through multiple possibilities to explain this unanticipated response, though many fell short. The likelihood of an imposter was doubtful, considering the familiar summon Kakashi had sent to deliver the message to him, and Kakashi's possession of Obito's sharingan. Neither could it be a lie to mislead unwanted ears, because no discernible codes were weaved into that succinct response.

Perhaps most telling was from the stare Kakashi had locked onto him as he gave his answer. There had been nothing mischievous in their depths, only an odd combination of resignation and determination; a promise of truth.

Time-travel?

It was an absurd notion, and yet the longer he lingered on the thought, the greater the possibility seemed plausible, especially considering all the little ticks Minato noticed on Kakashi that were familiar yet not. He saw the strong affectionate gaze Kakashi couldn't hide from their sights, so much more perceptive and appreciative of those around him than ever before. He saw the wound of heartbreak that haunted behind Kakashi's expression, but it was wispy and fleeting, like he'd already been given the closure he desperately needed.

It was an unexpected answer, and one that became remarkably more believable than Minato would've expected prior to this day, but that still didn't mean Minato believed without proof. Whether Kakashi's words were a truth or a lie, Minato couldn't allow himself to assume arbitrary; not during these warring times. It was an ugly habit to suspect and scrutinise everything, including the smallest oddities in his precious students, but safety overruled that flood of emotions swirling in Minato's chest.

Uchiha Madara's existence was already inexplicable, and Minato didn't need any more unexplained uncertainty in his life. He planned to get to the bottom of this, with no vague or unspoken words hanging between them.

"You and I are going to have a long talk when we get back," Minato said firmly.

Kakashi shrugged, nodded, and then settled his limbs to one of harmless submission for Minato's sake. Out of consideration, he continued to hold it that way until they made it back home, lest he became viewed as a threat.

By that time, Minato had long prepared himself from being startled by anything.

.

(Anything except for the sight of Kakashi _pouting_ in disappointment from the way Minato stoically listened to everything he then revealed to him, it turned out.)

* * *

 _a/n:_ _This is post-series Kakashi. He's had a fulfilled life and already made peace with Obito, Rin, and Minato-sensei at the end of the war. He's too old and retired to deal with this shit of secrets and hidden identities. :D_


End file.
